Overview

Everyday provides fresh evidence of the global realization that privacy matters. Companies across the board are confronting the security challenges of compliance, technology and culture. The significance of data protection continues to grow with the pace of innovation and around the globe.

What draws the watchful eyes and ire of regulators?

What legislation has just introduced operational implications?

What new technology will become the fertile ground of exploitation?

What climate of opportunity has just put a target on your organization’s front door or reputation?

Whether you are concerned with the privacy needs of a new client, product or service offering, the ins-and-outs of cross-border data transfers or simply what it is you don’t know about state of data protection within your organization, Reynolds Privacy can offer actionable guidance that is credible and cogent.

Experience

As an experienced cyber security professional, Darrin Reynolds has advised many of the most recognized companies in the world on their capabilities and needs regarding data protection. He has worked across varied industries and sectors including healthcare, financial services, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, entertainment, communications and media. He spent 10 years with Omnicom, one of the world’s largest holding companies of advertising, PR, marketing and specialty communications firms where he served as Chief Privacy Officer and VP of Information Security for the Diversified Agency Services division of Omnicom. In this role, he drafted and deployed policy, guidance, resources and breach response assistance for more than 200 companies around the globe promoting effective cyber security practices and evangelizing the benefits of transforming business protection into business enablement.

Darrin has been practitioner, consultant, facilitator, first-responder and educator helping organizations realize the benefit of security as a differentiator. He is a member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), charter member of the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC2) Indianapolis chapter and holds memberships in the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), InfraGard and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). He serves on the Advisory Board for WhatFriendsDo.com – a website providing team coordination and resources for assisting people in crisis. He is an advocate of the arts involved with the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. Darrin is a graduate of Stetson University in DeLand, Florida and actively participates in local efforts to further the value of privacy and security awareness among a media-saturated generation. His credentials and expertise make him a qualified and competent educator but it is his relaxed manner and disarming humor that make him a memorable and skilled communicator.

When he’s not saving the world from cyber miscreants, Darrin can be found shooting on his archery lane, chopping wood behind the barn or playing the trumpet. And it’s a good bet that no matter what he’s doing there’s an iced tea within arm’s reach.

Take a peek inside the world of Privacy

The Kimono

Big Questions Just like the famous Groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, I get asked some of the same questions over and over. One that I hear every time I do an assessment is, “So, what kind of tools are you using?” I suppose it’s just natural to be curious what kind of instrument is about to be […]

Absurdly Farcical So imagine a corporate earnings report where the CFO says, “We have a ton of money. We’re not sure what kind, what’s protecting it, where it is or even how much of it we have but trust me, it’s a lot.” His exit interview would take less time than the corporate Tweet of […]

Land Grab A phrase that is quite common today is, “Data is the new oil.” Many companies have recognized the truth of this analogy and are racing to acquire as much of it as possible. There is money to be made by being among those who are able to extract value from this vast and […]

Thanks, but no thanks! I can hear the voice of Richard Dawson saying, “One hundred hackers surveyed. Top five answers are on the board. Name an effective social engineering technique.” What can a survey say about the inner workings your organization? Plenty! Surveys show up as phone solicitations, online forms and even strangers on the […]

The First Line of Defense Password authentication is a routine part of our everyday lives. We use passwords in our personal lives to open garage doors, login at work, check email or grab cash from an ATM. According to the federally funded Computer Emergency Response Team / Coordination Center (CERT/CC): “80% of all network security […]

Message in a Bottle Email is popular. (And for my next understated observation…) and not very secure. Okay, so everybody knows how to send an email but not everybody knows that email messages are sent in “clear text.” This means that anything sent in an email can be viewed by anybody along the message’s route […]

Into the Unknown As I travel around doing security assessments, audits and visits, I am often asked to share or distribute some of the very sensitive information that I collect on my journeys. Recognizing that it is delicate (even dangerous) information that must be communicated, I inquire as to how the recipient would like to […]

Blissfully oblivious. Companies of all sizes become the victims of their own ignorance when they learn that they’ve breached data they didn’t even know they had. If it’s true that “you can’t fix what you don’t know is broke” then it should follow that “you can’t protect what you don’t know you have.” The first […]

How Many Passes? Frequently, I think of the little boy who consulted the owl to find out how many licks it takes to get to the Tootsie Roll center of the Tootsie Pop. The owl’s response: “Let’s find out. One… two-hoo-hoo… three. Three!” I think about that sage old owl each time the topic of […]

Metaphors of the Graphically Challenged If you’ve ever seen a network diagram then you’ve probably noticed that somewhere in the picture is a little storm cloud labeled “Internet.” Typically, IT guys are not very artistic so drawing a cloud to represent the Internet is something that even the most graphically challenged geek can accomplish. Truth […]

“There are two types of companies: those who have been hacked, and those who don’t yet know they have been hacked.”
– John Chambers, CEO of Cisco

Services

Advisory

Reynolds Privacy can provide critical subject matter expertise and decision support to advise organizations that lack a dedicated privacy or security role. With experience on both sides of security incident investigations and breach response communications, we can provide insight that goes beyond mere subject matter expertise to accomplished trusted advisor.

Development

Organizations that require periodic assistance with the creation of ongoing programs for data protection initiatives can engage with Reynolds Privacy to develop and establish specific programmatic elements or more comprehensive process improvement through operational best practices. Customers, partners and regulators seek security that is baked into the process and bolted on in a time of need.

Privacy Program Development Organizational Policy Development Workforce Training & Development

“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”
– Mark Twain